Priscilla Richardson

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When you get a bunch of Historic Fincastle Inc. folks together to raise awareness and money, something exciting generally emerges. This time, you get the opportunity to eat lunch on the stage and orchestra area of Attic Theater and hear Art Museum of Western Virginia's Executive Director Georganne Bingham.

Oh, yes, I know they changed the name to the Taubman Museum, but lots of us old and young fogeys will be using the former name for some time.

With Bingham there, after she speaks, you'll have the opportunity to ask her the questions letters to the editor have been posing. Whose idea was this new building? Who chose the architect? What was the museum's board thinking when they saw the design and approved it? I'm betting those questions will lead her into the plans for the Nov. 8 opening and after, including special exhibits and once-a-month concerts.

Bingham told me she studied music, "my first love," she calls it. So you can ask her about the relationship between art you can see and art you hear. She studied voice for five or six years and performed solo works in productions such as Verdi's "Requiem." Singing and playing the guitar, she played for civic clubs and weddings.

But in the meantime, she was building her career.

"I went from music to public relations and marketing, from there to director of development for an organization to help abused children. From there to a computer company to work on software for development management, and from there to the art museum in Raleigh as director."

So you can see why HFI is giving you the opportunity to meet Bingham in person and catch some of her excitement about the new building and all that will happen there.

And that's not all. Fincastle's Helen Hubler will be offering every person there another opportunity: to take home some fine art. She will bring two of her works, one called "Yes, We Have Melons Today," showing a man in a market setting, holding melons. The other, "Winter Lantern," features a lantern in front of an old house's porch. Bring your checkbook to buy chances to win, with the winner getting to pick which work to take. The other will then be for sale.

All of these opportunities can be yours when you attend the first-ever HFI ladies' luncheon and forum, to which gentlemen are welcome. It starts with a reception at noon on March 15, and lunch at 12:45 p.m. Cost: $30 a person.

The caterer, Three Li'l Pigs, will take its own opportunity, to show it can do something other than barbecue. Its staff will be making lemon chicken with vegetables, plus a corn and blue cheese salad. According to Karen Shriver, one of the co-chairs of the event, the menu includes "enough to make a meal even for vegetarians." The husbands of the women working on the event, led by Pete Wood, HFI president, will fill plates. Dessert did I hear someone, probably me, ask about dessert? Here you'll have yet another opportunity, the opportunity to throw your diet to the winds. HFI board members will show off their best cookies and bars, so plan to save room.

Shriver and her co-chair, Lynne Burton, invented what they call "Spring Punch" to be served during the reception.

"It's a spiced fruit punch of cranberry and pineapple juices, plus ginger ale, all with cloves and cinnamon," Shriver said.

Since they're expecting 150 people, they decided to ease serving by pouring it from pitchers instead of using a punch bowl. What a great idea for any party, and you heard it here.

Was it difficult to get HFI board members to volunteer to make the desserts? "No, not really," Shriver said. "I just mentioned it at a meeting and six volunteered right away. HFI people are accustomed to pitching in."

So now all they need is for you to send a check for your ticket or tickets, and enjoy another great Botetourt event.

HFI Ladies Lunch and Forum

Date: March 15, rain, snow or shine

Time: Noon reception 12:45 p.m. lunch.

Location: D. Geraldine Lawson Performing Arts Center in Attic Productions, 7490 Roanoke Road, Fincastle. Tickets: $30 per person, seating limited to 150 people. To purchase tickets: Mail your name, address, phone number and check to: HFI, P.O. Box 19, Fincastle VA 24090.

Information: Call 473-3077 or visit www.hisfin.org.